Process of making record



Sept. 1945- D. c. ROCKOLA ,653

PROCESS OF MAKING RECORD Filed March 12 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I""/ Jadezuof Ja dLZZ C. Poe/Kahl- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ede/Z2507? Jada? C. Poe/ 06a Sept. 25, 1945. D. c. ROCKOLA PROCESS OF MAKING RECORD Filed March 12 1941 Patented Sept. 25, 1945 PROCESS OF MAKING RECORD David C. Rockola, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rock- Ola Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 12, 1941, Serial No. 382,951

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the structure of rec- Y ords for the recording and reproduction of sound and to a process for making such records.

An object of this invention is to provide a record structure having a margin of increased thickness which serves as a guide or indicator to show the proper starting position in the use of the record structure." 4

Another object of this invention is to provide a record having a margin of a color contrasting with that of the recording material, which margin not only serves as a guide or indicator of the starting position, but also provides a distinctive indication of the type or grade of the'record.

Another object of this invention is to provide a process for making record blanks having a margin of increased thickness and a distinctive color.

Other objects of this invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein 'view taken substantially on line 5--5 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Having particular reference to the drawings, a plurality of record matrices in, which may be made of cardboard, fiber or sheet metal, such as aluminum or steel, are preferably concentrically mounted on a shaft [2 and separated by spacers, such as l3. The matrices I have central openings, such as that indicated at M in Figure 4, through which the shaft l2 extends. The group of matrices is held in position on the shaft between nuts I 5 and i6. which are threaded onto the shaft. The ends of the shaft are provided with bearings i1 and l8,which fit into and are rotatably supported by the bearing slots. I9 and 20 respectively on end walls 22 and 23 of a tank or vat 24. The rotatably supported and manually operable bearing covers 25 and 26 are preferably provided for the bearing slots l9 and 20 respectively to hold the shaft in place.

The tank or vat 24 is preferably supported from a foundation, which is indicated at 21, through feet, such as 28 and 29; the feet being secured been coated from the shaft l2.

to the tank by bolts, such as 30,..or other suitable fastening means, and to the foundation by bolts such as 32, or other suitable fastening means. The tank 24 is kept filled to a predetermined level through a connecting pipe 33 with one of the well-known record coating lacquers or record coating compounds; said level being indicatedat 34, which is preferably slightly below the outer surfaces of the spacers I3.

The matrices, when mounted on the shaft l2 as shown, dip edgewise into the record coating compound or lacquer when the shaft is placed in the bearings l9 and 20 and are preferably substantially perpendicular to the surface of the compound or lacquer. A crank 35 is drivingly connected to one end of the shaft l2 to effect rotation of the shaft and the matrices whereupon all but the central portions of the matrices are coated with a smooth layer of the compound or lacquer.

After coating the matrices as described, they are (preferably placed in a drying oven 36 for drying and baking to dry and solidify the record compound or lacquer. This is preferably effected without removing the matrices III which have The oven preferably has tracks 31 and 38 supported therein as ends of the shaft l2.

by securing to the side walls 39 and 40 respectively, which tracks support chains 42 and 43, which have rollers such as 44 and 45 thereon and notched supports 46 and 41 for holding the The chains act as conveyers to carry series of coated matrices through the oven. The oven burners are indicated at 48 and 49.

After being dried or baked, the coated matrices are again replaced in the vat or tank 24 to the same depth for applying a second coat of the lacquer or compound. After each coating of compound or lacquer the coated matrices are again baked in the oven 36. This alternate coating and baking of the matrices is carried on until the coating is of a sufficient depth to receive the desired sound recording track.

Usually three coats ofthe lacquer or compound is sufficient.

After the recording surface has been provided by coating the matrices I 0 as described, the record blanks thus formed are preferably placed, in accordance with the instant invention, in a tank or vat 50, the construction of which tank or vat is similar to that described with respect to the tank or vat 24 and on which similar numerals refer to similar parts. .This tank 50 has a lower level of compound Qrlacquer therein, which is indicated at 52; this level being such that only the edges and margins of the record blanks dip into the compound or lacquer. "Upon rotation of the crank 35 the edges and the margins of the record blanks are coated with an additional layer of compound of lacquer, which is preferably of a diiferent color than that used in coating the recording surface of the blanks.

Referring particularly to Figures 4 and 5, the record blanks made by the process described herein have the matrix In coated on both sides width of which margin is preferably such that it indicates the proper starting position for making a recording on the record blank. When the margin al coating. is a distinctive color as preferred, this starting position is easily distinguished on the surface of the record. Also where diiferent matrix materials are utilized for records of different quality and also where. different record coating compounds or lacquer are used on different qualities'of records, the particular distinctive colors utilized are preferably chosen to indicate the types of record blanks. The uncoated space 58 at the center or middle portion of the record is left for the application of a title sticker or other identifying indicia. On some forms of blanks it is preferable to have an opening such as 59 off-set from the central opening l4.

after each dipping in the lacquer, dipping the coated matrices edgewisein a coating liquid to a depth less than said predetermined depth and rotating the coated matrices to form a rim of a coating liquid thereon, again baking the coated matrices, and removing the coated matrices from said shaft. 7

2. The process of making record blanks for the recording and reproduction of sound which comprises the steps of dipping a record matrix edgewise into a record coating lacquerto a predetermined depth and rotating the matrix about its center while dipped to said predetermined depth, baking the clipped matrix, dipping the coated matrices edgewise in a coating liquid to a depth less than said predetermined depth and rotating the coated matrices to form a rim of the coating liquid thereon, again baking the coated matrices, repeating the steps of dipping to a predetermined depth, rotating and baking until a coating of baked record-coating lacquer of predetermined thickness is accumulated on the matrix, dipping less than said'predetermined depth and rotating the coated matrix to form a rim of the coating liquid thereon, and again baking the While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that various changes in details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The process of making record blanks for the recording and reproduction of sound which comprises the steps of mounting a plurality of record matrices concentrically and in spaced relation upon a shaft, dipping the matrices edgewise a plurality of times to a predetermined depth into coated matrix.

3. The process of making record blanks for the recording and reproduction of sound which comprises the steps of mounting a plurality of record matrices concentrically and in spaced relation upon a shaft, dipping the matrices edgewise a plurality of times to a predetermined depth into a record coating lacquer and rotating the matrices each time they are dipped thereby to coat 5 all but the central portions of the matrices with recording and reproduction of sound which coma record coating lacquer and rotating the matrices each time they are dipped thereby to coat all butthe central portions of the matrices with said lacquer, baking the mounted and dipped matrices prises the steps of dipping a record matrix edgewise into record coating lacquer to a predetermined depth and rotating the matrix about its center while dipped to said predetermined depth, "baking the clipped matrix and repeating the steps of dipping to a predetermined depth, rotating and baking until a coating of baked lacquer of predetermined thickness is accumulated on the matrix.

' DAVID C. ROCKOLA. 

